Cocytus
by Oldwickedsongs
Summary: Set during the Dark Times when Death Eaters paraded through England with impunity, except their own dreams. Dark Prince one shot


A/N: This little one shot came to me watching a episode of the Twilight Zone. The quote is also from the Twilight Zone but from a different episode. The lines at the end belong to the movie "Tombstone." Other then that Snape belongs to Rowling, Dark Prince belongs to me.

This doesn't fit anywhere in particular with my stories but it's cool. It takes place sometime when Snape is loyal to Lord Voldemort. If you're wondering about the title: Cocytus is the ninth level of hell according to Dante's Inferno. It's where only, in Dante's opinion, the worst sinners go: Judecca is the bottom of hell where Satan's at. I mention both places with greater flair in my story "The Prince Returns." By the way, traitors go to Judecca- perfect place for our favorite spy eh?

"In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth.

It's up to man to create his own Hell."

****

Cocytus

By Lady Erised

He awoke with a start and the fleeting fear he had been here before. He looked around curiously, trying to gain his bearings and quell the unease he felt in his stomach. He released the stair banister he hadn't realized he was gripping. His palms were sweating.

"Are you alright?" He heard someone call.

It was a woman's voice. She was looking at him behind a large, ornate mask that was covered with feathers and sequins.

"Yes," He spoke but the voice was he heard was unfamiliar and shaking. He rubbed his hand on his pant leg and noticed he was carrying a mask in his other hand. It was a simple oval shaped mask held by a stick. Pure white, it had only two narrow slits for his eyes. Three pale gold lines divided the left eye. He brought it up and studied it. The image frightened him but he felt as if he had seen it before. He gingerly placed it to his face. The contours of the mask molded perfectly over his features. He felt like he had done this all before. He ripped the mask away from his face with a gasp.

"I know," The woman laughed. "These things can be dreadfully hot. But we have to wear them till midnight." She walked up the few steps to where he was at. She took his arm in hers and giggled again. "Come on, only a couple of more hours."

She led him down the stairs and into the living room of the house. A simple light fixture glittered over equally simple furniture that looked lived in and loved. The living room could have been spacious if not for the people crammed into it, all wearing masks. He kept his mask up, a few inches from his face as he tried to piece together where he was at. It was like he just had appeared on those stairs with mask in hand but why or how, he couldn't say.

The lady was leading him to a group of three others. All of them were men, big and strong from simple, honest work. One was dressed to the nines in tailored robes. He was wearing a gold and scarlet mask. The man next to him was standing with his arms crossed, nodding in agreement. But it was the strongest man there that got his attention. This man was adorned with an emerald mask and was laughing jovially in a deep voice that thundered.

"Certainty you don't think those Death Eaters will come anywhere near here, do you Mr. Branson?" He was saying. "Can you imagine what Mad Eye or Crouch would say to that?"

"I don't think those masked hoodlums will try to attack a Minister's house..." The nodding man mumbled. "Still, you never know..."

The emerald mask caught sight of him and sounded off again. "Ah, Sadie you found Mr. Snape didn't you?"

"Snape?" He said dumbly. The name tasted familiar.

"You are Severus Snape aren't you?" The emerald mask asked.

"Severus...Snape."

"Yes, I received word from Lucius Malfoy that you would come. Although I have yet to pick him out- masqurade ball you know. Identifies a secret till midnight."

"Lucius Malfoy..." He looked up. "Yes, my name is Severus Snape. Lucius is a friend...I think."

"The name's Deveraux by the way." The emerald mask extended a hearty hand. "Victor Deveraux."

"The Minister Deveraux?"

"The very same." The Minister lifted a glass of wine from the table. "Lucius works for me, clever boy if somewhat secretive...how did you meet?"

"School. We went to school together..." Severus managed weakly. He still couldn't fight that feeling he had done this all before. "You were talking about Death Eaters?"

"Nasty topic, I know." Mr. Branson offered. "But like I said, they're getting bolder."

"That new one is the one that scares me. What is it that Rita Skeeter calls him? The Dark something or another."

"Prince."

Severus looked up. He felt a sudden surge of fear. "The Prince...he's coming...tonight!" He had been here before. He heard the faint rumbling noise of people panicking and the screaming. Yes, he had seen this before! "We have to get out of here!" He said suddenly, not aware of how he sounded. "We have to go! Call Mad Eye! They're coming."

"Now, now young um" said Deveraux, putting his hand's on Severus' frail shoulders. "No need to get startled. You're just tired is all."

Sadie had her hand on his cheek. "Dad, he's burning up."

"Burning...a fire...no, listen to me!" Severus tried again but Deveraux wouldn't have it. He was still talking soothing but firmly. "Nothing's going to happen, son. Sadie take him upstairs, lay him down."

"Listen to me!"

"Sadie!"

"Mr. Deveraux Lucius just sent an owl to inform you, he'll be here a quarter to midnight."

"Very good."

Severus flailed weakly against Sadie's leading. She took him upstairs and down a hall. He glanced over and peered into one of the open doors. Twin boys laid asleep in a large bed with a dog curled around their feet. In other bedroom, a young mother was nursing her infant. He followed Sadie to that last bedroom, where she laid him down.

"Who were they?"

"The twins? Those are my cousins from Belfast, you can meet them tomorrow if you like. The woman was my sister, Angel- her babe was Michael. He's only a week old, can you believe it? Any children of your own, Severus?"

"No..."

"A wife?"

"No."

"Ah," Sadie said as if he explained his life story to her. "Waiting for Mrs. Right, I suppose. Same here. So what do you do?"

Severus turned his head and looked at the bedroom clock. It was eleven o' clock. Forty-five minutes... "I work for a private employer."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a janitor."

A teasing laugh. "You don't look like a janitor."

"But that's what I do...I clean up for him."

Severus listened to Sadie's idle chatter and answered her questions politely. She seemed to like to talk. Quietly, he watched the clock.

Eleven fifteen, thirty minutes...

"...so after school, I followed Dad into the Ministry. I work as a secretary for him but I really want to work in the Muggle Artifacts office..."

"My father worked for the Ministry too. Mum did as well...both were Aurors."

"Really? How exciting!"

Eleven thirty, fifteen minutes.

"I was reading about the Dark Prince yesterday in the paper. Dad doesn't want me to read it because he thinks I'm scared easily. The papers say he's a demon, a monster. I think he's a mystery. He fascinates me."

"He's a tortured soul. Someone cursed. He has to walk the earth to avenge himself."

"Why does he want revenge?"

"Because he was born."

Eleven forty five. Just as the time changed there was a shattering of glass down stairs followed by scream. Sadie abandoned him and ran down stairs. Severus closed his eyes and listened. He heard the panicking voices, the breaking glass the baby crying in the next room. Finding strength, he rose and made his way haphazardly down the hallway to the stairs. He took two steps down and stopped dead in his tracks.

Standing in the middle of the pandemonium was a solitary figure cloaked in the deepest black. His robes rippled around him like an icy breeze and although Severus couldn't see his face, he knew the figure was smiling. Another rumble threw Severus against a wall. He shuttered and groped blindly through the smoke. The figure turned and looked at him.

The Dark Prince smiled underneath his mask. He couldn't see the face of the man who stood frightened on the stairs but he had to admire his dress taste. Dark robes, matching equally dark hair that hung wild around the man's face. He chuckled to himself. The coward was paralyzed with fear, Snape had seen it many times before. In the last moments of life, a person became who they truly were. In this one's moment, he had become a pawn.

"That's right, old boy." Snape whispered. "You're looking at the face of death."

Severus couldn't believe his eyes. The figure, the murderer standing amid the flames he saw... the mask he was wearing... three pale gold lines... "It's me." He whispered.

It was all Severus could mutter before the Dark Prince sent a fireball from his wand towards his prey on the stairs. The Dark Prince laughed and extend a hand to grab the girl running pass him by her golden brown hair. She screamed as he pulled her to his chest. Her hair was rubbing against his chin.

"Hello."

She whimpered. "Please...please don't kill me."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you." Snape promised. "So tell me darling, what's you're name?"

"Sadie..."

"Ah, well hello Sadie, listen do you have a last name?"

"Dev...dev..."

"Deveraux?"

She began to go limp in his arms as she began pleading for her life. Snape smiled again, throughly enjoying her pathetic pleas. "Bring me Minister Deveraux!" He ordered to another Death Eater.

The Death Eater brought a man to him. Victor Deveraux stood to his full statue, his face twisted in hate. He stared at Snape with fearless eyes. "Go to hell, Severus."

The Death Eaters around the Dark Prince squirmed. No one had mentioned his name. They had never met. "Very clever, Deveraux." said Snape. If he was surprised, he didn't show it. "I was just about to show your daughter here how to hold my wand."

The nearest Death Eater chuckled, lustfully studying Sadie.

Snape picked up Sadie's hand and twisted her fingers around the yew wand. He inhaled sharply as she touched the wood. "You've done this before haven't you."

Victor made a lunge for Snape but was stopped. Snape laughed again.

"Now, Sadie. Point it at your father's chest."

"No...please no."

"Point it."

She obeyed. "Daddy..."

"Don't worry, Baby." Victor said in a breaking voice. "The Ministry make sure they die for this."

"Can't wait." Snape hissed. He leaned so close to Sadie's ear, his mask was touching her earring. "Now..." He purred. "Repeat after me...Ava..da..."

"Avada..." She was weeping uncontrollably now and the word spilled out.

"Ked...av...ra."

"Ava...please...don't."

"If you don't say it, I can assure you his death will be far worst."

"Forgive me daddy..."

"I do, love, I do."

"Avada Kedavra." She screamed.

The green light passed between them. Victor Deveraux fell noiselessly to the floor. Snape released Sadie and inspected her work. He squatted down and slapped the Minister's face. "Not bad, baby girl. You'd make a fair killer."

"Damn you! Damn you to hell!" She screamed, falling to the floor beside her father. Snape rolled his eyes and sighed annoyed. He picked up his wand and stepped over the sobbing girl. "Kill the girl." He ordered.

Sadie looked up. "You said you wouldn't kill me!" She shouted.

"And I'm not." Snape said honestly. He pointed to a random Death Eater. "He is." He turned, ignoring another barrage of her cursing him to hell. "Come on boys," He said as the green light filled the burning house again. "Drinks on me."

An hour later, Severus Snape was walking home extremely drunk and overwhelmingly pleased with himself. Next to him was a boy name Jeremiah Smith, a new Death Eater who had asked to speak to him privately. Severus walked in a semi straight line, waiting. Jeremiah had been wringing his hands together since they had left the Snake Bite. He looked at the boy and smirked as Jeremiah opened his mouth to speak for the umptieth time this minute only to shut it a moment later.

"Well," Severus said kindly. "You've master the first part of speaking: opening the mouth. Now if you can just form words we should be alright."

"Sir?"

"Yes, Jeremiah what is it?"

"There were children in that house."

"Yes, there were." Snape agreed. He chuckled to himself.

"And women..."

"I noticed."

"We killed them sir."

"Ah huh."

"Why? Minister Deveraux was an enemy, I understand that. But his daughter? She was Head Girl my first year. Why did she have to die?"

"Why Jeremiah, I never thought I would see you squirm. That's not the way a son of Aurors should act!" Severus admonished playfully. He stopped in the middle of field and met the young boy's eyes. "We killed them because we could, Smith. Don't beat yourself up trying to figure out the morality of the issue because there isn't any. We're the bad guys boyo." Severus slapped Jeremiah's back good naturally. "Or at least that's what the old git Dumbledore and his buddies want you to believe. They want you to believe that your blood means nothing anymore. They want you to forget your history. They want you to believe that mudbloods are worth the same as names like Malfoy or De La Croix. And they want you to believe in right and wrong- there's no such thing. Only power exists; those who have it and those who want it. Lord Voldemort could have sent anyone to handle Deveraux if he wanted but he sent me, know why? Because I'm the best and I'll show them all- Albus Dumbledore included- just how much pure blood is worth. I'll bathed the country in it." Snape smiled at him. "Don't shed any tears for those weaklings, Jerry."

He continued to walk and Jeremiah followed. When the boy spoke it was low and structured and his voice echoed a prophet's. "But we still killed them, Severus. Whatever the reasons, we killed them. And we'll pay for it. Those kids were pureblood too. More then pureblood they were innocent. We killed them. And those women didn't do anything. We just killed them because we could but that's not a good enough reason to kill them. It isn't a good enough reason to kill anybody." He looked up. "That girl was right. We're damned for it too. There must be a special hell for people like us. Their deaths were ours too, Severus. But their the lucky ones. They only have to die once. Us, we'll going to die their deaths over and over again. At night, or when we think we're all alone...we're going to die the way they did."

Snape's assured smile had faded. He looked at Jeremiah incredulously. The boy's words sounded familiar, like if he had been through what Jeremiah described. No, he thought, that's impossible. "You're drunk, Smith." Severus teased quietly. "Go home, go to bed."

He bid Jeremiah good night and walked up to bed. He was too sleepy to undress so he just collapsed on his bed, fully dressed. His hand fell carelessly on a pillow, he was still carrying his mask. Content, with his stomach full and his mind clear; Severus Snape, the Dark Prince, fell asleep...

... He awoke with a start and the fleeting fear he had been here before. He looked around curiously, trying to gain his bearings and quell the unease he felt in his stomach. He released the stair banister he hadn't realized he was gripping. His palms were sweating.

"Are you alright?" He heard someone call.

It was a woman's voice.

A/N: So did you like it? If you did, please review!! And check out my other stories!!


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